Technical Assistance

SolarOPs offered technical assistance and facilitated peer support to help cities and counties remove barriers in local markets and increase installed solar capacity. SolarOPs provided customized technical assistance to jurisdictions on soft cost areas including permitting, financing, zoning, solar procurement, and Solarize programs. In addition, the SolarOPs team of experts provided consultation on questions submitted through an ‘Ask an Expert’ web portal.

While technical assistance through SolarOPs is no longer available, there is the possibility to apply for additional technical assistance opportunities through some of the programs listed below. If you have any questions regarding the technical assistance SolarOPs provided, please contact solar-usa@iclei.org.

Host a Solar Powering Your Community Workshop

The SunShot Solar Outreach Partnership (SolarOPs) is delivering free custom regional workshops to communities across the nation. The workshops are designed to provide actionable information on overcoming local-level barriers to solar, addressing soft costs, and implementing a successful local solar program in areas including:

Want to connect with a small group of municipal peers from other communities that are planning for solar as well those that have found creative approaches to getting solar installed? Members of the Solar Outreach Partnership facilitate these local government connections through regular conference calls and in-person exchanges. To access these services, email solar@icma.org.

.Are You a State Government?

Assistance is also available through the SunShot initiative to state policymakers and their staff on policy related issues for solar technology deployment. Assistance such as policy evaluation and potential impact analysis can be completed by SunShot’s network of technical assistance providers. To access the program, please email your request to stat@nrel.gov.

SolSmart, a program funded by the Department of Energy SunShot Initiative, is beginning to designate cities and counties nationwide based on their efforts to make solar more affordable for their residents and businesses. Leading solar communities can receive one of three SolSmart designations – Bronze, Silver, or Gold. Additionally, SolSmart will empower new communities to become solar leaders and achieve these recognitions through no-cost technical assistance. As part of this technical assistance, communities can apply to host SolSmart Advisors – program-funded temporary staff that will work within communities to help them achieve designation. We encourage all communities to get involved with SolSmart and take action to reduce solar soft costs.